Ford India and Mahindra had formed a strategic alliance last year. The collaboration, using the strengths of both companies to deliver operational excellence and value to stakeholders. The partnership will allow Ford and Mahindra to offer new product to customers faster than before and will deliver profitable growth to both companies.  We have more received news that Ford’s new line-up of SUVs from the Ford-Mahindra joint venture will be designed by Italian design house Pininfarina which itself is now owned by Mahindra.

Ford Midsize SUV:

      This new mid size 5 seat Ford C segment SUV is likely to be

based on the next-generation Mahindra XUV500 which is currently in testing phase. Both, the underpinnings and the powertrain of the XUV500 will be shared with the Ford SUV. The Mahindra XUV500 is likely to be powered by a mHawk 2.2-litre diesel producing 156PS and a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine from the mStallion engine family producing around 170PS. The new Ford ‘CX757’ SUV will rival the Jeep Compass, Tata Harrier and the MG Hector in the Indian market and expected launch will be to happen only after the launch of the new XUV 500 late next year.
      
Ford Compact SUV:

       A smaller 4300mm length B-SUV will be launched after the C segment SUV. Codenamed ‘BX745’, the B segment SUV is likely to be based on an extended version of the XUV300 and is also expected to be designed by Pininfarina. The B-SUV is likely to arrive with a 1.5-litre TGDi (turbo-petrol) from Mahindra mStallion family producing  around 150PS and a 1.5-litre diesel producing 120PS as well. The smaller B segment SUV will compete against the best selling Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos when launched in Early 2022.
       
Ford Sub Compact SUV:

      The last of the three new SUVs is the next-generation Ford EcoSport sub compact SUV. This new EcoSport is codenamed ‘BX744’ and is also likely to get the design inputs for Pininfarina. The next-generation EcoSport is expected to be powered by the Mahindra XUV300’s 1.2-litre TGDi (turbo-petrol) engine producing 130PS along with the familiar 1.5L 4 cyl diesel engine producing 120PS.
      
   Stay tuned for further information on these new SUVs from the Ford-Mahindra alliance.

Hyundai has unveiled the new Sonata N line trim which will be expanding the midsize sedan line up. It is essentially a cosmetically updated version inspired by Hyundai's performance N brand. Here are a few highlights of this new Hyundai Sonata N line trim.

Exterior:

       The new Hyundai Sonata N line will have a dynamic design, focusing on 'Sensuous Sportiness' identity. It features new and aggressive front and rear bumpers along with dual twin exhaust pipes. The large Cascading grille is finished in glossy black and also has N line special branding. New 19-inch dual-tone alloy wheels along with body skirts are

also available.

Interior:

        The interior layout is largely similar to the regular Sonata with certain N-specific detailing and changes. Features and specifications are also expected to remain the same except for the inclusion of sportier body-hugging seats, Signature red stitching and dark Chrome trim.

Powertrain:

The Hyundai Sonata N line will be available with the same 2.5L GDI and 1.6L TGDI engine options mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and expected over 275 horsepower.

Launch and Price:

       The new Sonata N line is likely to be launched in the USA in the coming weeks with a marginal price increase over the regular variants. Stay tuned for further details on Hyundai's N line range.

And then there are people who adore their cars, love them and live with them. People who love driving their machines. People who call themselves automobile enthusiasts, car lovers, petrolheads, etc.

Enthusiasts as we know are an endangered species today because very often, challenges and responsibilities in life ensure we leave aside our passion for short or long periods of time. The RPM needle doesn't go past the half mark. Fuel economy suddenly becomes the most important factor to consider in a car. Comfy suspension replaces the sporty suspension. That fun to drive factor is replaced by a dead,

light and lifeless steering wheel. Life, then as we know gets dreary and lifeless.

But does it really have to be that way? Does life always have to go in that direction? Or is there a way where can have a bite from both worlds and maintain equilibrium? Of course, you still can’t expect good mileage if you rev it too much. But still, we think there's still hope for people like us. A way where we could maintain a fine balance between fun and responsibility. A balance between passion and practicality.

Often, we find this balance in cars from Ford. Of course not all of them from the fleet have this speciality where you get two things for the price of one. But mostly, they do have the capability to bring a smile on your face every time you take those cars out for a drive.

Ford Ecosport, Ford Fiesta, Ford Figo, Ford Freestyle. They've all been around us for a pretty long time. We’ve seen them evolve with us (except the Freestyle) but most importantly, what has stayed in this process of evolution is a communicative steering wheel that lets you feel every crack on the road, a suspension setup that offers decent comfort and enough stiffness to handle those curves. Horsepower figures are usually just enough to take you back by surprise and yet, there’s enough fuel left to do a last minute road trip.

This fusion of both worlds creates such a blend that driving these machines indeed feels very special. Not only this, We’ve mostly seen that cars from Ford India often offer safety features like 6 airbags, ARP, TCS, etc to even cars like the Freestyle! That says a lot about what the brand really prioritises on. We haven’t even moved onto the service costs yet because we feel that would be off topic.

With so many different choices in the market today and in this ever ending race between manufacturers to be on the top, what is often left behind is the essence of driving. Sadly, items like large infotainment systems, sunroof, projector head lamps, etc are features that are considered a priority by consumers while cars that offer an excellent driving experience with other satisfactory features are being ignored. To petrol heads like us, this is a worrying trend indeed. It is easy to find cars that go fast and have all the latest features. But it is indeed difficult to find great cars today that offer a blend of both worlds. Enthusiastic drivers and drivers’ cars then, are indeed endangered species.